Toilet seat

ABSTRACT

A toilet seat embodying a fan and a deodorizing element. The toilet seat has a cavity to accommodate the fan and the deodorizing element. Conveniently the fan and the said element are mounted on a cover member adapted to seat over the cavity. The toilet seat further includes a seal on its underside to enable the seat to seat sealingly on the rim of a toilet bowl.

United States Patent Stamper [4 May 2, 1972 54] TOILET SEAT 2,238,461 4/1941 Carman ..4/213 72 Inventor: Robin Harry Stamper, 1891 Westboume 2'309'885 2/1943 213 r 2,849,727 9/1958 Bolllnger et al.... ....4/217 Rd.. Bryanston. T1ansvaa1 P1ov1nce Republic of South Africa 3,501,784 3/1970 M81501! ..4/2 I 7 [22] Filed: June 16, 1970 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 21 App] 4 55 1,347,873 11/1963 France ..4/213 505,507 8/1930 Germany. 4/2l3 570,411 12/1957 Italy ,...4/213 [30] Foreign Applicatlon'Prlorlty Data June 24, 1969 South Africa ..69/4489 Primary Examiner-Frederick Maneson Assistant Examiner-W. C. Anderson 52 US. Cl ..4/217, 4/229 y Flocks [51] Int. Cl. ..A47k 13/30 [58] Field ofSearch ..4/213,214,215,217 ABSTRACT A toilet seat embodying a fan and a deodorizing element. The [56] References cued toilet seat has a cavity to accommodate the fan and the UNITED STATES PATENTS deodorizing element. Conveniently the fan and the said element are mounted on a cover member adapted to seat over Chr1st1an et a1 the cavity The toilet eat further includes a eal on its under. 1,624,016 4/1927 Schuck side to enable the seat to seat sealingly on the rim of a toilet 1,298,584 3/1919 Shaw b0w| 1,700,936 2/1929 Klemish et a1.. I 2,164,320 7/1939 Groeniger ..4/70 8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures TOILET SEAT This invention relates to a toilet seat.

The applicant is aware of systems for removing foul air from a toilet, or for freshening such foul air. However, such systems are cumbersome and obtrusive. It is an object of this invention to provide a method of freshening or decontaminating foul air in a toilet, by means which is neat and inconspicuous.

According to the invention, there is provided a toilet seat having an airflow passage and a cavity adapted to accommodate airdisplacing means for causing air to flow along the passage.

The cavity may be provided at the rear of the seat, and the air passage may have at least one air inlet opening at the inner periphery of the seat and an air discharge opening at the rear of the seat. The seat may have a seal around its underside, the seal being adapted to seat sealingly on the rim of a toilet bowl, the air inlet opening for the airlow passage being disposed inwardly of the seal. The air inlet opening may have a guard lip extending verandah-fashion over it, and depending downwardly over the opening when the seat is in its raised position relative to the toilet bowl.

The toilet seat may further include air-displacing means within the cavity, the air-displacing means including an electric fan. The air-displacing means may include also a battery, and a switch operable to energize the fan from the battery.

If desired, the toilet seat may include also an air freshener device disposed in the air passage. The air freshener device may include an activated carbon filter element, or some other suitable filter or deodorizer element. By way of explanation, in this specification and in the claims, by the term air freshener device is to be understood any device which is adapted to remove contaminant from foul lavatory air, or for providing additives to such air to freshen or sweeten it, or any such devices when used singly or in combination. Thus for example, an air freshener device may comprise a filter element or airscenting means used singly or in combination.

/ The invention provides broadly, a toilet seat which embodies air-displacing means and an air freshener device.

The toilet seat may include a cover member to seat over the cavity, the air-displacing means being mounted on the cover member. Likewise, the air freshener device may also be mounted on the cover member in such a way that it is disposed in the airflow passage when the cover member seats over the cavity. I

The invention extends also to a cover member adapted to form part of the toilet seat as described.

The cavity is provided at the rear of the seat in proximity to thepivotal mounting of the seat on the bowl. Although in some situations it may be preferred to have the fan energized from a battery, in other situations it may be preferred to energize the fan from a low voltage, external source. The voltage used, may be a few volts merely, say, up to a maximum of 12 volts. the toilet seat may then be provided with a plug-in connection for connection to such a low voltage source.

The fan may be energized by a switch which may be manually operable. Alternatively, it may be a pressure-type switch positioned on the underside of the seat, and adapted to press against the rim of the bowl and to close only when a predetermined minimum pressure is applied to the seat against the rim of the toilet bowl. The pressure switch may be provided at any convenient position, and may for instance be at the front end of the seat.

The seal may be adapted to clip into position onto or into suitable formations spaced circumferentially around the underside of the seat. The seal may be arranged to extend over the cover member covering the cavity, and may be temporarily detachable from the seat to permit removal of the cover member.

The invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a toilet seat in accordance with the invention, with the rear portion of the toilet seat broken away for clarity;

FIG. 2 shows a part-sectional elevation at 11-11 taken in FIG. 1, when the rear of the toilet seat'is not broken away; and

FIG. 3 shows a sectional side elevation at Ill-Ill in FIG. 1, when the rear portion of the toilet seat is not broken away.

Referring to the drawings, reference numeral 10 refers generally to a toilet seat having a rear portion 12 within which there is provided a cavity 14. In this cavity 14 there is provided an air freshener device which includes an activated carbon filter cartridge 16 and deodorizer elements 18, and air-displacing means including a fan 20 and batteries 22 for energizing the fan. The fan 20 is mounted upstream of an air discharge opening 21 leading out of an air passage, generally indicated by reference numeral 21.1. In FIG. 1 the filter cartridge element 16 has been omitted for clarity. The filter cartridge element 16 and the deodorizer elements 18 are mounted in series, upstream of the fan 20. The filter cartridge element 16 and the deodorizer elements 18 together constitute the air freshener device. I Y

The toilet seat has stub axles 24 at its rear end 12, adapted for pivotally mounting the seat in a conventional type fitting, relative to a toilet bowl.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, reference numeral 30 refers to a seal adapted to seat sealingly on the rim of a toilet bowl (not shown). This seal 30 is adapted to pass over a cover member 36 which is positionable over the cavity 14 to cover it up. The seal 30 may be detachably secured to the underside of the seat. This will allow temporary loosening to permit the cover member 36 to pass between it and the seat. The seal may also engage detachably with a stub 37 on the cover member 36.

The airflow passage, generally indicated by the arrows 21.1, is defined between the cover member 36 and the walls of the cavity in the toilet seat. The inlet into the passage 21.1 is provided by an opening 36.1 in the cover member 36. A urine guard 36.2 is provided, extending verandah-fashion over the opening 36.1. It prevents the entry of urine into the opening 36.1 when the seat is in its raised position relative to the toilet bowl. The opening 36.1 is disposed inwardly of the seal 30, and generally along the inner periphery of the seat.

The cover member 36 has flange formation to seat in a recessed region around the periphery of the cavity 14. The flange formation may be screwed into position by means of screws 38 engaging with holes 38.1 provided in the flange portion of the cover member 36. The screws will engage with registering holes in the toilet seat The cover member 36 is provided with recesses or cavities 22.1 for receiving the batteries 22. These cavities are provided with contacts 22.2 for engaging with the ends of the batteries to energize the fan 20 via conductors 22.3 and switch 20. 1. I

In operation, when the seat is required for use, the seat will be lowered into the down position such that the seat 30 seats sealingly on the rim of a toilet bowl (not shown). The fan will then be energized by operating the switch 20.1. Air will then be drawn in through the opening 36.1. into the cavity below the filter cartridge 16, thence through the filter cartridge 16 into the space above it, thence past the deodorizer elements 18, thence through the fan 20 and out of the outlet opening 21. Foul air which passes along the passage will be cleansed, deodorised, or decontaminated in so passing along the passage.

If desired, the switch 20.1 may be so positioned that it is pressure-operated to come automatically into operation when pressure is applied to the seat such as by a person sitting on it.

What I claim is:

1. A toilet seat for a conventional toilet having a toilet bowl, said seat having an air inlet passage, an air outlet passage, and a cavity therein, a cover member covering said cavity an airfreshening means and an air-displacing means, both said means positioned in said cavity and mounted to and covered by said cover member, whereby foul air from inside said toilet bowl is drawn through said inlet passage, through said airfreshening means and discharged through said outlet passage by said air-displacing means.

2. A toilet seat according to claim 1, in which the cavity is 7 provided at the rear of the seat, and in which the. air inlet passage has at least one air inlet opening at the inner periphery of the seat and in which the outlet passage has anair discharge opening at the rear of the seat.

3. A toilet seat as claimed in claim 2, in which there is provided a seal around the underside of the seat adapted to seat sealingly on the rim of a toilet bowl, and in which the air inlet opening for the air inlet passage is disposed inwardly of the seal.

4.A toilet seat as claimed in claim 3, in which the air inlet opening is disposed at theinner periphery of the rear of the seat and has-a guard lip extending verandah-fashion over it, the guard lip depending downwardly over the opening when the seat is in the raised position.

5. A toilet seat as claimed in claim 1, in which the air-displacing means includes a battery, and in which there is provided a switch operable to energize the air-displacing means from thebattery.

6. A toilet seat for a toilet having a toilet bowl, said seal having an air inlet passage, an air outlet passage. and a cavity' therein, a cover member covering said cavity, an air-freshening means and an air-displacing means, both said means positioned in said cavity and covered by said cover member. and a seal around the underside of the seat and adapted to seat sealingly on the rim of the toilet bowl, the air inlet passage having an inlet opening disposed inwardly of the seal; whereby foul air from inside said toilet bowl is drawn through said inlet' passage, through said air-freshening means and discharged through said outlet passage by said airdisplacing means.

7.A toilet seat as claimed in claim 6, in which the air inlet opening is at the inner periphery of the rear of the seat and has a guard lip extending verandah-fashion over it, the guard lip depending downwardly over the opening when the seat is in the raised position. I

8. A toilet seat as claimed in claim 6, in which the air-displacing means includes a battery, andin which there is pro- I 

1. A toilet seat for a conventional toilet having a toilet bowl, said seat having an air inlet passage, an air outlet passage, and a cavity therein, a cover member covering said cavity an airfreshening means and an air-displacing means, both said means positioned in said cavity and mounted to and covered by said cover member, whereby foul air from inside said toilet bowl is drawn through said inlet passage, through said air-freshening means and discharged through said outlet passage by said airdisplacing means.
 2. A toilet seat according to claim 1, in which the cavity is provided at the rear of the seat, and in which the air inlet passage has at least one air inlet opening at the inner periphery of the seat and in which the outlet passage has an air discharge opening at the rear of the seat.
 3. A toilet seat as claimed in claim 2, in which there is provided a seal around the underside of the seat adapted to seat sealingly on the rim of a toilet bowl, and in which the air inlet opening for the air inlet passage is disposed inwardly of the seal.
 4. A toilet seat as claimed in claim 3, in which the air inlet opening is disposed at the inner periphery of the rear of the seat and has a guard lip extending verandah-fashion over it, the guard lip depending downwardly over the opening when the seat is in the raised position.
 5. A toilet seat as claimed in claim 1, in which the air-displacing means includes a battery, and in which there is provided a switch operable to energize the air-displacing means from the battery.
 6. A TOILET SEAT FOR A TOILET HAVING A TOILET BOWL, SAID SEAT HAVING AN AIR INLET PASSAGE, AN AIR OUTLET PASSAGE, AND A CAVITY THEREIN, A COVER MEMBER COVERING SAID CAVITY, AN AIR-freshening means and an air-displacing means, both said means positioned in said cavity and covered by said cover member, and a seal around the underside of the seat and adapted to seat sealingly on the rim of the toilet bowl, the air inlet passage having an inlet opening disposed inwardly of the seal; whereby foul air from inside said toilet bowl is drawn through said inlet passage, through said air-freshening means and discharged through said outlet passage by said air-displacing means.
 7. A toilet seat as claimed in claim 6, in which the air inlet opening is at the inner periphery of the rear of the seat and has a guard lip extending verandah-fashion over it, the guard lip depending downwardly over the opening when the seat is in the raised position.
 8. A toilet seat as claimed in claim 6, in which the air-displacing means includes a battery, and in which there is provided a switch operable to energize the air-displacing means from the battery. 